The 2014 Forester XT is a great all-around car

Since he started driving, Muhereza Kyamutetera has always been an enthusiast of Subaru brands. He has driven two different models of the Subaru Legacy, one model of the Subaru Outback and two models of the Subaru Forester, with his current car, the Forester 2014 model XT being the second he has owned. 

Most, if not all Subaru brands, are synonymous with speed and Kyamutetera’s is no different. Built with a 2,000cc petrol engine, Kyamutetera says when you accelerate, the XT version gives you the speed you want. Some of the attractive interior features include heated seats and an armrest for the rear passenger row. The other feature is that because it has a small trunk, the passenger seats recline to create more space.

“My particular model has a sunroof as an extra feature. When driving on a tarmacked road and do not want to use the air conditioner, I open the sunroof to allow natural fresh air to circulate in the car. It also has good ground clearance which enables me drive on any bumpy road. For the price of Shs45m or slightly more depending on the model and the performance you get, you cannot expect performance of a V8 engine,” Kyamutetera explains.

Fuelling

Filling the fuel tank of Kyamutetera’s XT requires between Shs240,000 and Shs260,000, especially since fuel prices keep on fluctuating. He has driven his XT to as far as Mbarara City in western Uganda.

The longest trip he has driven started from Kampala to Ssese Islands in Kalangala District, then to Masaka, all the way to Rushere on Kaguta Road, Fort Portal, Kasese, Mbarara and eventually back to Kampala. Kyamutetera has also driven from Kampala to Bushenyi District, a journey that required him to use a full tank and half litres of fuel.

“Before setting off for any journey, I ensure the car is well serviced. For optimal off-road performance, because it is a mid-size sport utility vehicle, you have to drive carefully. Being an all-wheel drive (AWD) car, you get reliable performance even when driving through grass or any slippery road. This does not mean that you drive it as a typical off-roader. All I am saying is that it gives you value for money for a car its size,”Kyamutetera adds.

Service

On average, the Subaru devotee spends approximately Shs150,000 per garage visit. This is, however, dependent on the type of oil he uses. Kyamutetera’s preferred oil brand guarantees him a mileage of 5,000km, which he normally covers in an average of three to four months. However, when his work requires him to drive upcountry more often, he covers 5,000km in a short time.

Much as the Subaru Forester XT is well raised, of late, because of the bad condition of the Kiwatule to Bulindo Road, a route he uses daily, it is experiencing mechanical issues with the suspension system.

“I have driven a Subaru Legacy through the same road before but it was worse because of its low ground clearance. The Forester is much better than the Legacy in terms of handling rough road conditions. When the suspension starts to fail, it will warn you by producing squeaking sounds, which indicates a fault that needs to be fixed,” says Kyamutetera.

Rivals   

The Subaru Forester XT does not only rival but it is also in the same classification and category as the Toyota RAV4 and Vanguard, Nissan X-Trail, Kia Sportage and Sorento and the Mercedes Benz ML and 4Matic. However, Kyamutetera argues that one of the performance features he has discovered about the XT is that the previous versions of the Subaru Forester were better when it comes to engine power and the thrill of driving a Forester when accelerating.

“Maybe because the first Forester I drove had a turbo, but the XT feels as though I am driving a less powerful car. I have noticed that the newer the Subaru Forester models, the more they start looking feminine. They have become too beautiful to compete with cars of some brands when it comes to engine performance. Unfortunately, I can only buy what is available,” Kyamutetera concludes.

According to standardmedia.co.ke, an online portal, The XT is the turbocharged version of the Forester. A turbocharger is a machine that increases the power in an engine.

Performance

Thanks to the 2.0L Boxer engine with Direct Injection Turbo, you will be pleased to know that the Forester does the century sprint in a mere 7.5 seconds, which is fast for an SUV.

Floor the throttle, let the revs build up, and watch the speedometre climb. Besides the new DIT engine, the SJ series Forester also has a new Lineartronic CVT gearbox which has three modes. Intelligent (I) for regular driving, Sport (S) for that extra edge, and Sport Sharp (S#) for when the boyracer mode kicks in.